THE Executive Branch

The day-to day enforcement and administration of federal laws is in the hands of the various executive departments, created by Congress to deal with specific areas of national and international affairs. The heads of the departments, chosen by the president and approved by the Senate, form a council of advisers generally known as the president’s «Cabinet». In addition to 14 departments, there are a number of staff organizations grouped into the Executive Office of the President. These include the White House staff, the National Security Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, the Office of the US Trade Representative, and the Office of Science and Technology.

The Constitution makes no provision for a presidential Cabinet. Similarly, there are no specific constitutional qualifications for service in the Cabinet.

The Cabinet developed outside the Constitution as a matter of practical necessity. Cabinets are what any particular president makes them.

The Department of State, headed by the Secretary of State, advises the President on foreign relations. This department handles all peaceful dealings with other countries, and issues passports to American citizens who wish to travel abroad and visas to visitors to the United States.

The Treasury Department manages government finances, collects taxes, mints coins and prints paper money. The Secret Service, which protects the President and Vice President, their families and some other dignitaries, is also part of the Treasury Department. So are the Bureau of Customs and the Internal Revenue Service.

The Department of Defense is responsible for the nation’s security. The Secretary of Defense is assisted by the Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Department of Justice is headed by the Attorney General, who acts for the government in legal matters and moves against violators of federal laws. The FBI and federal prisons are under his jurisdiction.

The Department of the Interior protects and develops the nation’s natural resources and manages the national parks. It also enforces federal hunting and fishing laws, checks on the safety of mines and is responsible for the welfare of the Indian tribes.

The Department of Agriculture aids food production and looks after the interests of farmers. It issues numerous reports on the supply and prices of farm products, conducts scientific studies of agriculture and lends money to build rural electric systems. Most farms today are served by electricity.

The Department of Labor is concerned with the working conditions, safety and welfare of the nation’s nonfarm workers. It enforces, among others, the laws on minimum wages and maximum hours for workers. The department’s mediation and conciliation service helps employers and workers to settle labor disputes.

The Department of Commerce helps develop domestic commerce as well as trade with other countries, particularly in the mining, manufacturing and transportation industries. One of its important branches issues patents for new inventions; others test products to be sure they meet high standards and report on weather conditions.

In 1979 the Department of Health, Education and Welfare was reorganized into two separate agencies: the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Education. HHS administers many of the nation’s social services programs on a federal level. The Department of Education administers and coordinates more than 150 federal aid-to-education programs.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development was created to help provide adequate housing, particularly for low-income groups, and to foster large-scale urban renewal programs.

The Department of Energy, created to address the nation’s growing energy problems, consolidated the major federal energy functions into a single Cabinet-level department. It is responsible for research, development and demonstration of energy technology; energy conservation; the nuclear weapons program; regulation of energy production and use; pricing and allocation; and a central energy data collection and analysis program.

The Department of Veterans Affairs dispenses benefits and services to eligible veterans of US military service and their dependents.

In addition to the executive departments, there are numerous independent agencies charged with special functions.

Largest of these is the Postal Service. It operates post offices, is responsible for handling and delivery of mail and issues standards.

Other independent regulatory agencies set rules and standards in such fields as rail and air transportation, domestic trade practices, broadcasting licenses and telephones and telegraph rates, investment trading, some banking practices, and equal employment opportunities. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration directs the space program; the United States Information Service maintains information offices and libraries in most countries, operates the Voice of America and conducts international cultural exchange programs.

9.10. Answer these questions:

1. Is the President’s Cabinet the same kind of institution as the Cabinet in a parliamentary monarchy such as the United Kingdom?

2. Who does the Cabinet consist of?

3. Are the heads of departments members of the US Congress?

4. Who are the Secretaries of the Departments directly responsible to?

5. Where do Cabinet members meet?

6. Can the President remove any Cabinet member for refusing to carry out a duty?

9.11. Discuss the following chart. Compare the organization of the executive branch in the USA and in your country. Discuss the responsibilities of the departments in both countries.

9.12. Before reading the text match a word on the left with a definition on the right.

1. Senate a) power to affect somebody’s character,

beliefs or actions

2. House of b) national legislative body

Representatives

3. Congress c) agreement reached by mutual concession;

(finding of) intermediate course between

conflicting opinions

4. revenue d) invalidate

5. influence e) accuse

6. in that event f) judicial examination and determination of

issues between parties by judge with or

without jury

7. compromise g)state’s annual income from which public

expenses are met

8. nullify h) upper and less numerous legislative

assembly

9. bring charge i) in that case

10. trial j) the lower house of the US Congress

9.13. Test your general knowledge in the quiz below.

1. The Constitution requires that US senators must be at least ... years of age, citizens of the US for at least ... years, and residents of the states from which they are elected.

a) twenty, seven

b) thirty, nine

c) forty, eleven

2. Members of the House of Representatives must be at least ..., citizen for..., and residents of the states which send them to Congress.

a) twenty-five, seven

b) thirty-five, nine

c) forty-five, eleven

3. Each state is entitled to ... senators.

a) at least one

b) two

c) three

4. The total number of members of the House of Representatives is... .

a) four hundred and fifty-five

b) fifty

c) four hundred and thirty-five

5. The senatorial term is ... years and every ... years ... of the Senate stands for election.

a) six, three, two-thirds

b) eight, two, one-fourth

c) six, two, one-third

9.14. Before you read the text discuss these questions.

1. What body is the legislative power of the US government vested in?

2. Where does congress meet?

3. How many chambers does Congress consist of? What are they?

4. Does every state have equal power in the Senate?

5. Does every state have the same number of representatives?

9.15. Now read the text and see if you were right.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1784